A new developer blog for the IL-2 Great Battles Series has just come out and with it news on what the series is going to be doing over the next several months as the 1C Game Studios team works to release Odessa and Leningrad theatres to the sim. We’ve got Siege and Liberation information so let’s go.

Early access begins next week

Earlier in the week, the IL-2 team released a 30-minute video detailing some of the aircraft and the setting of the Siege and Liberation release. Now we’re learning what their plans are for the release of this new title. Odessa career mode will cover June-October 1941 and April to August 1944. Leningrad will similarly cover September 1941 to April 1942 and then January to September 1944.

Pre-order and early access is set to begin as early as next week with those purchasing early getting a “significant” discount on the final price. That discount will reduce as more content is released.

The update reports that initial content on offer in the next few days will be the Odessa map, the I-153 and the LaGG-3 Series 4.

The I-153 and LaGG-3 Series 4, as we learned earlier in the week, come with a few different modifications and fit into the early time period for both maps as well as others in the series. The I-153 is an entirely new aircraft for the series while the LaGG-3 represents a model much earlier than the Series 29. You can see the cockpit represents a significant improvement over the earlier release.

Coming later on down the line

The plan is to then roll out additional content over the remainder of the year. After the initial release next week, a summer update will add the Yak-1 (Series 23) and Yak-3 (Series 9).

Then, in the “first half of fall” we’ll see the Bf109E-4 and Ju87D-5.

Finally, the end product is slated to release by winter and here we’ll see the Gulf of Finland map release together with the pilot career mode, the La-7 (Series 1) and IL-2 Model 1944. The IL-2 model 1944 will help round out the titular aircraft of the series with the definitive arrow-wing variant so common in the later part of the war.

As you can see from the released images, these aircraft haven’t yet progressed into the texturing or move into the sim engine just yet and the map of Lenningrad is still having buildings populated across the cityscape.

Learn more here!


21 responses to “IL-2 Siege and Liberation early access to begin next week plus new roadmap information”

  1. I want to get this and support the people who made these maps and aircraft, but because the devs have been rude to Jason (unprovoked) and that drone thing I’m worried that I’ll be supporting them too which I don’t want.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I think Korea will be first real test if they lost players with how they handled outside of game things, this is still part of game that is popular and many players will play it long time after, but Korea is new not so popular and no Axis side, i think this is where they will have hard time

      Liked by 1 person

      1. ShamrockOneFive Avatar
        ShamrockOneFive

        Agreed Sokol. I’m not sure how Korea will be viewed versus the previous generation and given how much folks have already invested. We’ll have to see… this can change for better or worse.

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    2. ShamrockOneFive Avatar
      ShamrockOneFive

      I will say that I know the Finnish map has been a labour of love over the better part of the last decade. I’m really happy for that team to finally see that dream realized, other complicating factors aside.

      Like

  2. Ollifreund Popcorn Avatar
    Ollifreund Popcorn

    Same here. As long as breathing russian air is considered a patriotic act to Russians, I feel it’s morally wrong to support them.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Literally simple. Don’t like it, don’t play it. I honestly don’t see how a DCS Iraq, Syria, or Afghanistan map is very different than this.

      If games about war offend you, I recommend a different hobby.

      Not buying a game isnt going to make ANY difference in the outcome of ANY war.

      I bought Stalker (even though I highly disagree with the devs stance, removing Russian language, and removing Soviet symbols in literally a game about a Soviet place). TLDR; the game sucked. But im not letting some virtue signaling affect whether I buy something or not. Stalker devs literally bought weapons and cars for the AFU with their profits, IL2 folks just made some controversial statements you don’t like.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. They should add more collector airplanes in 2026 i doubt its gona be more new DLC like thing. Add Bf-109G10 or Fw-190A9 and make B-25 player controled.

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  4. Unfortunately I can’t say I’m very excited about this. And yet another -109. I think it will be the tenth variation at least. I wish they would think outside of the box a little. The game itself is cool but the devs have gotten very stale.

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    1. ShamrockOneFive Avatar
      ShamrockOneFive

      I think at this point they couldn’t not have a Bf109 in the mix, it would seem wrong some how! 😉 I think you’re right that it’s ten. Still a cadre of folks on the forums requesting them to make a Bf109G-10 so it must sell and I’m sure its easy to iterate and fill out the aircraft list that way.

      The question is probably more of a “Does it displace another more unique aircraft?” and its probably a no on that.

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  5. I think it is a good lineup of planes, especially with the La-7 and the Emil.

    I’m excited most about the new maps.

    On the link to the other article, end of 3rd paragraph of that article. “The maps will both feature a huge…(?)”. Huge what? Seems to be missing words in there and I’m curious about the maps. 😅

    I recently got into Flying Circus through the last sale and that re ignited my excitement to the series. I hope the next expansion does well and Korea looks like a must have item in the library.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. ShamrockOneFive Avatar
      ShamrockOneFive

      Thanks for spotting the error. I have no idea what I was trying to say there. I’ve been working overtime at work and burning the candle a little too much at both ends.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hey, don’t worry. I hope you’re all good. I enjoy your posts thoroughly, so much that is my main source of flight simming news as well. 🙂👍

        Like

  6. Looking forward to the maps. Instant buy. I don’t involve politics in my game buying decisions, and I wish others would keep their political views on X where they belong, and not here.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I too am looking forward to the new maps, in particular the Finnish map (the real-life parallels here are strong!). This being said, like others, I don’t intend on buying it right away due to the Russian ownership/operation of 1C/Fulcrum. It is difficult to want to support any project (games or otherwise) that pays taxes into the Russian Federation while that same nation is actively the aggressor, invading another independent nation for the direct purpose of territorial expansion by annexation. To be clear, I am completely against the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation under putin and actively work to support their defence, so yes, this matters to me on a personal and moral level.

      And, if I may, mention that while I understand that you may not want “politics” in your games, politics and economics are everywhere and completely inseparable from real-life. What we spend our money on matters. I want to feel good about my purchases, not wonder if I am funding something I am opposed to, which has been the concern of members in the community WRT 1C/Fulcrum. Personally, this has led me to support projects like Carrier Pilot (impressive work Jason) over the IL-2 series for the past few years – I do not intend on buying IL-2 Korea at this point in time.

      Also, please realize that I love supporting aviation history projects and the FC series is no different – I still bought the third and fourth expansions (on Steam at a discount but still), and I continue to support CLOD. I want to help support projects that keep military/aviation history alive. I am perfectly consistent WRT how I am dealing with this either? No, again, I still want to support these projects. It is complicated, and people should be concerned about what they are buying and what kind of community it supports – games/sims are not immune to this and nor should they be.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Self reply with extra thoughts:

        Let me also just say this – I am glad to see IL-2 Siege and Liberation. As mentioned above, I am very much looking forward to the Finnish front and hopefully the B-239 in the future. Take the above as some of my personal concerns with the publisher of the IL-2 series, rather than the simulator itself. They have done justice to the other historical fronts they have covered, I expect the team will do so again here. I’ll leave it there.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Ollifreund Popcorn Avatar
      Ollifreund Popcorn

      Politics is not about expressing your thoughts in a certain environment. Thats a misconception. To some, like me, it’s about life and death of yourself, your family and your community. So your life may be safe in AZ, but come to Ukraine or later other european countries and you will think differently.

      So just because the old man will give you candy, I does not mean he does not have any other intentions in mind.

      Like

      1. I don’t see how buying a game, or not, is going to make any difference in that war.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. ShamrockOneFive Avatar
        ShamrockOneFive

        Not a monetarily significant one but I can also see how the two can be connected for individual purchasers. It makes it more difficult than it was a few years ago.

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  7. Well, if the EU can spend €21.9 billion in 2024 on Russia oil and gas imports I can spend a hundred on a video game.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. They have something planned for Great Battles after Siege and Liberation. Whatever it is is anybody’s guess.

    Like

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